Loss
Explosion,s collisions, screams, and fire; those were the images and sounds that flashes through Tali's receptors as she frantically attempts to maintain the Tantalus drive core from meltdown due to an attack from an unknown vessel. The crew were in a state of dissaray, too concerned of their own safety to follow direct procedures specified by the Alliance Navy in dire situations.
Those who did, whoever, ends up killed by electrocution or explosion from their respective station.
As the Normandy shook violently, Tali kept her eyes on her terminal as the Tantalus drive core began sending unstable waves of electricity and explosions that sends ripples of unstable current that detonates the furthest right console. Not far from her, Chief Engineer Adams has been attempting to organize the Normandy crew to board the life boats as the Normandy began its descent, while reports of massive fire breakout in the crew deck and the CIC and major system malfunctions in her terminal is enough to tell her one thing:
The Normandy is loss
Yet she refuse to give, rejected the thought of leaving her second home. She wanted to save the Normandy, rescue her from this demise and let her roam the galaxy with her crew, one more time. She wanted to see the smile and the laughter of the soldiers and friens she serve with, seeing her no less than any other human crew.
Most of all, she wanted to save her commander.
"Tali, we have to go! Now!" her concentration is quickly disrupted by the voice of Engineer Adams who grab her by her shoulder. "The Normandy's lost! The Commander has issued an evacuation order!"
"I can't leave the station! Shepard's still up there, and I'm making sure he's getting out alive!"
"The Commander can take care of himself, but you have to get out of here!"
She struggles once, twice, and three times after each of Adam's attempt to drag her out of the core. Sighing in almost near defeat towards her stubbornness, Adam was left with little to no options. "Fine, you leave me no choice!"
Grabbing her by the waist, Engineer Adams began to heave the young quarian away from the console and drag her towards the ramp. Tali hisses, struggles, curses, and kicks as she attempts to break free from the man's grasp. As the door that leads towards the engine room closes, a second explosion echoes from behind and above, followed with Joker's attempt on signaling an SOS to nearby Alliance patrol.
"No! How could you..."
Dropping her into the mouth of the shuttle, Adams presses upon Tali's shoulder and stare deep through her mask; anger was clearly within his voice. "Staying in there is goddamn suicide, you know that!?"
Quickly helping her to her seat and buckling her, Adams then proceeds to secure himself after he ensures there are no other crew members left to save. With a press of a button, the life boat ejects violently from the burning Normandy and deep into the void of space, jerking some of the crew on board. The silence that followed soon after was no less comforting than it is worrying, as survivors began to wonder how many had make it out alive. Looking at the quarian before him, Chief Engineer Adams release a heavy sigh.
"Listen, Tali, I know how much you care for the commander and the ship, but staying there and losing your life over it isn't what the Commander wants."
she didn't reply, ignoring eye contact with the chief engineer.
"I know the Commander, Tali. If I am in his shoes, he will definitely do what I did back in there. He would put the safety of his crew above himself, and that means he will see to it that you went out alive. Now, are you ok?"
Engineer Adam's words are far from comforting, yet sufficient. He was right; Shepard would always put the safety of his crew above him, and would go to any lengths to do so. Gathering her thoughts, Tali replies with a nod and began waiting patiently for the Alliance to rescue them.
---
The SSV Seattle is a standard Alliance cruiser, tasked upon rescuing the survivors of the Normandy after receiving the emergency transmission minutes earlier. Despite their late arrival, the cruiser managed to retreive all escape pods drifting in the void and is soon sending scouts down to Alchera to locate more survivors. Three hours have passed since the destruction of the Normandy as the crew began settling in within the medical ward, each heads is being accounted for. Each absences were prayed for, and each loss is mourned.
Amongst the crowd of survivors, Joker sat still in the corner. His eyes were dark, and his humorous nature has vanished along with the Normandy. Resting his head on his hands, Joker began reflecting his actions and the last hours of the Normandy; the commander's final valiant act of selflessness saved him with the cost of his life, a thought that ran through his mind over and over as he awaits rescue and to this point.
His thoughts were soon interrupted by the sight of a young Quarian, wringing her hands nervously as she approach the wrecked helmsman. Her voice modulater began to light up and caught his attention with a question he never wish to hear.
"...where's Shepard?"
The helmsman didn't answer. He swallows hard, avoiding eye contact for fear of the worst. It wasn't because the lack of trust between them; he trusts her, but the reality that he's about to spill is enough to shatter her world.
"Joker, where's Shepard...?" her voice became soft, trembling. He could sense there is a disturbance from the vibration. "...Joker?"
Swalloing a ball of spit, Joker let out his verdict. "...he's gone, Tali. He didn't make it..."
"W-what...?" Tali's voice trembles, her soul screams as she refuses to believe in his words. "N-no, no that couldn't be. He was with you, wasn't he? Lt. Alenko told me..."
"He died dragging my sorry ass from the helm. He couldn't make it when the beam seperated us. I'm sorry..."
"Sorry? Is that all you can say?" Tali's thoughts ran amok, refusing to accept the reality served to her on a silver platter. Her mind began generate reasons and generalizations why the Commander couldn't make it, as she began blaming herself for leaving the engine room for her safety, blaming the crew for their incompetence to save their commanding officer.
Finally, the blame rests on Joker. He, she thought, is the sole reason why Shepard couldn't make it out alive.
"Tali...?"
His voice of concern is the last thing she wished to hear. His voice is enough to make her snap, convince her to assault the crippled pilot and murder him for his selfishness and stupidity. With that in mind, she charge.
The scream of the young Quarian echoed across the halls of the medical ward, catching the eyes of both Alliance personnel and non-Allaince crew of the SSV Normandy. They began to rush on their feet towards the struggling helmsman who is at the mercy of the Quarian as she pound, rips, and chokes the man as she screams her lungs out in agony. It took Garrus to pull her away from him and two Alliance security officer to save Joker from certain demise.
"Y-YOU BOSH'TET...!" she cried out loud towards the helmsman, making eye contact with his regretful stare. "Why did you...? WHY DID YOU...?"
she stops, struggling to break free from Garrus' grip with kicks and shoves to no avail. "YOU KILLED HIM...!"
The word sunk deep into Joker's chest like a dagger, repeating it over and over under the tears that were hidden behind her navy blue visor. The crew of the Normandy stood silently, their heads wrung low as guilt seeps through them, knowing their survival was due to the sacrifice of their commanding officer.
"Tali, I know how you feel about his loss..." Garrus starts, attempting to calm the raging Quarian. He knew at this state, not even a Biotic Krogan could stop her from ripping their hearts apart. "But you're not the only one who feels-"
His word sank low, abruptly stopped by Tali's swift knock on his face, sending him toppling back and releasing her from his grip. Garrus shouts her name out loud, desperation in his voice that finally brought her back to reality. She stood there silently, her breathing steadies as she notices the expression the crew of the SR1 displayed in each of their faces; all riddled with sorrow, guilt, and the feeling of loss. She began to sob silently.
Garrus tries to open his lips once more and relay a comforting message to his friend to no avail. Words escape his mind, as his mandible twitches in regret. Fixing his fingers to his eyes, he tries to stay strong and prevent his eyes from swelling up. Shepard's gone, and he knows this. "And I inted to repay it in kind...".
Tali finally fell on her knees, crying silently as she remembers the time she spent with the Commander, whether it was the quiet days in the crew quarters or amongst one of those wild rides in the Mako. She couldn't come to terms to her feelings as she feels the loss and the void that's slowly begins to consume her. No one spoke a word after the incident. With Commander Shepard gone, the voice and soul of the Normandy dies with him.
Amongst the survivors, a young Quarian would complete her pilgrimage due in no small part to the Commander. She, like the Turian, would continue to mourn their loss for two years.
-fin-
DONE! That actually took more than 30' min or an hour; that's about 1.30 or 2hrs...maybe three or four. But here it is. Tissue...?
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